INDIANAPOLIS – Derrik Smits was once recruited by Brad Stevens. That is a strong endorsement in college basketball, and Butler is now trying to close the deal.

Smits, a 7-1 center from Zionsville, announced a month ago he was transferring from Valparaiso. He graduated in December, so he would be immediately eligible and have one season at another school.

He has already made an informal visit to Butler and is scheduled to visit North Carolina State this weekend and Arizona State next week. He is trying to arrange another visit to Butler ahead of his self-imposed April 28 deadline for choosing a school.

Others reached out to him in recent days, Smits said Wednesday. It is still down to three.

“I told them they were my final three, so I’m sticking to my word,” he said.

Smits tore ligaments in his right ankle in his first year at Valpo, so he redshirted. After averaging 3.4 points as a freshman and 7.5 as a sophomore, he averaged 12.2 and 5.7 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game as a junior. He shot .594 from the field, second in the Missouri Valley Conference.

He made the MVC all-most improved team and was on the scholar-athlete second team. The Crusaders lost 11 of their final 14 games and finished 15-18.

Earlier this season, Valparaiso coach Matt Lottich said Smits added “a lot of toughness” and bulk to his considerable skill. Indiana State coach Greg Lansing said Smits “absolutely” could play in a power conference.

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Smits twice scored a career-high 23 points — in a 69-63 loss to Wake Forest and in shooting 7-of-7 in an 87-82 overtime win over Indiana State.

“He’s so big, he can post you deep,” Lansing said. “If he’s out of the post, he can put it on the floor. He can bounce it two or three times to get a shot. He was tough to defend. If you double him, he’s really good at creating for other guys. Just a very big presence.”

Smits’ recruiting by Butler fell off after Stevens left in July 2013 to coach the Boston Celtics. Smits said he is looking for a higher league and a fit with the coach and system.

He played AAU summer basketball with Butler forward Sean McDermott. Smits stood just 6-2 as an eighth-grader, according to Jim Reamer, his former AAU coach. Growth as a player took a while to catch up to height.

After the transfer of 6-11 Joey Brunk and graduation of 6-10 Nate Fowler, the Bulldogs will have two players taller than 6-7: Bryce Golden, a 6-9 sophomore-to-be, and 6-10 recruit John-Michael Mulloy. Tentatively, the Butler center would be another transfer, 6-7 Bryce Nze.

“Obviously, I want to play,” Smits said. “They have a big opportunity. That’s obviously a positive for them. That’s a very good situation to be in.”

Smits’ father is Rik Smits, the former Pacers center, who has relocated to Arizona.

Smits said the offseason improved his confidence, and that allowed him to have a breakout junior season. He worked with a personal trainer in Arizona and played for the Dutch national “B” team on a seven-game tour of Europe.

“Just put in a lot of hard work, and it started to pay off,” he said.

Contact IndyStar reporter David Woods at david.woods@indystar.com or call 317-444-6195. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.